Youth Who Spat at MK Apologizes – Not

The 17-year-old wrote a letter of apology to members of his community, but not to MK Stern.

By Gil Ronen

First Publish: 10/31/2013, 8:02 PM

Elazar Stern

Israel news photo: Flash 90

The 17-year-old youth who spat at MK Elazar Stern (Hatnua) last week apologized to members of his community and admitted that he acted wrongly, but has not addressed an apology to MK Stern.

Blogger Ishay Fridman published a letter that the young man distributed in the community – Mitzpeh Hoshaya, in the Galilee – in which he explained the background for his action.

The youth said that when he heard that MK Stern had spoken harshly against Rabbi Dov Lior, the Rabbi of Kiryat Arba – Hevron, he could not believe it. Then he checked internet reports and found that indeeed, MK had said what had been attributed to him.

"I could not calm down. Rabbi Lior is one of the great poskim [arbiters of Jewish law] of our generation and I could not imagine that a respectable person like MK Stern would say harsh things about him.”

He described the attack itself, which took place after Friday services at the community. “After the minyan I saw Stern outside. I was enraged and acted on the spur of the moment. I thought wrongly and improperly. I was mistaken. I should not have acted the way I did. I should have protested in a different way.

"I apologize for harming the reputation of the community and its youth, which I love and respect very much. That was not my intention.”

He added that he has nothing against personal against MK Stern and that he did what he did “for the dignity of Torah,” and repeated that his action had been wrong.